Jurōjin is often identified with Fukurokuju, another of the Several Gods of Fortune. In some accounts, the two are said to inhabit the same body.[4] As such, the two are often confused.[5]

Jurōjin walks with a staff and a fan. He is depicted as an old man of slight stature, and by tradition, less than 3 shaku (approximately 90 centimetres (35 in)).[6] He is depicted with a long white beard and often a very tall, bald head.[5] He has a scroll tied to his staff, on which is written the lifespan of all living things. The scroll is sometimes identified as a Buddhist sutra. The deer, a symbol of longevity, usually (but not always) accompanies him as a messenger, as do other long-lived animals such as the crane and the tortoise.[6]